Paper money sorting and counting machine



Oct. 14, 1947. T. E. HAYES 2,429,159

PAPER MONEY SORTING AND CQUNTING MACHINE I 5 Sheeis-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1945 Oct. 14, 1947. v E HAYES 2,429,159

PAPER MONEY SORTING AND COUNTING MACHINE Filed Sept. 24, 1945' s sheets-sheet 2 v 27 i o e f a I 22/4 z? will "1 5; I 'l v r-l? 0 HI 7 Oct. 14, 1947 T. E. HAYES PAPER MONEY SORTING AND COUNTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-$heet I5 Filed Sept. 24, 1945 Oct. 14, 1947. T. E. H AYES PAPER MONEY SORTING ND COUNTING MACHINE S SheetS-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 24, 1945 Oct. 14, 1947. T. E. HAYES PAPER MONEY SORTING AND COUNTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Sept. 24, 1945 a M 4 M r M 9 e a 0 5 v 5 w .H 45. h J 0 0 3 M a 5 2 5 9Q N6 a, 2 i l IllllI. J. W v a w E J 5 J /W /W 3 5 w 0&4 M 0 .M MM O 2 w a) a W /4 4 4 4/ J 4 1193 w W w 7 a 2 :w 4 M v w 2 a y u w a W /f "M 2 L w 7 a 0 2 .li lllllL l I I I l Ill! 1 2 ,7 n 6 a Z 7/) J w i 6 J? E. H5795 m GROW u Patented Oct. 14, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPER MONEY, SORTING AND COUNTING MACHINE Thomas E. Hayes, Washington, D. 0.

Application September 24, 1945, SerialtNo. 618,185

19 Claims. 1

This invention relates to machines for usein sorting and counting paper money and is an improvement over the machines disclosed in Patent No. 2 271,394 and copending application Serial No. 588,939.

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide certain improvements in such machines whereby the operation of the 'machine becomes more foolproof,-and the operator is compelled to follow a specific routine in itsoperation so that in the event of error relatively few bills 'will be involved and the taskof locating the error proportionately reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of this type wherein a number of the operations formerly performed by the operator are automatically performed -by the machine, with automatic timed pauses in the operation to indicate to the operator that certain desired results have been achieved. 9

Previous machines have been designed to complete a. cycle of operation when one hundred bills have been fed to'the machine, but it is frequently desirable to Work with smaller groups. It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a bill counting machine incorporating means whereby the machine -may'be selectively set to complete its cycle of operation when one hundred bills or a fractional part thereof have been fed into the machine.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a'preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the following specification, and throughout the several figures of which the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a'vertical transversesectional view through the machine;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on-the line 33 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line .'4--4 of Figure 2;

Figure '5 is a vertical section taken through the housing shown at the right of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is .an.'elevational view of a panel'located at the :rear of the machine and carrying certain relays;

Figure? is a detail view of one of the register disks in the piece counter shown in connection with a switch closing member;

Figure 8 is a similar View of a register disk of the totalizer;

Figure!) is a diagrammatic view of the electrical circuits employed in "the machine; and,

Figure '10 is a partial diagrammatic view showing a modified type of timing device in conjunction with delayed-action relays employed as piececounter ,100 bill stop and-totalizer 100 bill control.

Paper money is received at theFederal Reserve Banks, from their member banks, in stacks of one hundred bills, or as is sometimes the case with twenty-dollar bills instacks of fifty, with a paper band or strap encircling-the bills, the strap 'having marked thereon the amount of "moneywithin the trap. Under existing regulations, Federal Reserve banks "may issue paper money, but when these Federal Reserve notes have been in circulation and are taken in to a Federal Reserve bank they can be put into circulation again only by the issuing bank. When a Federal Reserve bank receives-the above-mentionedstraps of bills from its member banks, the bills must not only be counted to check the'forwarding banks count,

. the banks of issue.

but the'bills must be sorted in accordance with With the machine of the present invention, both of these operations are performed simultaneously.

Referring in detail to the several figures of the drawing, the reference character I designates in general'a'cabinet which is mounted upon a suitable stand 2.

A plurality of vertical partitions 3 are arranged in parallel relation upon the base "4 and against a back wall '5, forming a series of compartments 6, the horizontal cross-section of said compartments being of approximatelythe same size and shape as abill, and adapted for the accumulation of stacks of bills, one bank of issue to each compartment.

Aplurallty of pairs of bill-feeding rolls 1 and 8 are arranged one pair at the upper forward end of each compartment. The lower rolls '1 of eachpair are-mounted upon, and driven by, a common shaft'9 (see Fig. 2), from a belt and pulley connection to the electric 'motor l0. A shelf ll extends horizontally in front of said series of compartments and has its upper sur-' face at about the level of the line of contact between therolls"! and 8, said shelf being suitably supported between said compartments by angle brackets, and being slightly concave in a transverse direction. The concave shape of the shelf, along with the fact'that the outer flanges of the rolls l-are of somewhat-larger diameter than the middle of said rolls, causes the bills 3 fed to the machine to assume a trough-like shape, stiffening the bills so that they will shoot between the rollers in a shape-retaining condition, assuring the bills stacking themselves in the compartments full length.

The compartments 6 are divided horizontally near the top by a pair of shelves [4 which are hinged from the partition 3 with their free longitudinal edges meeting in the middle. When bills are fed into the compartments they accumulate upon the shelves l4 until all of the bills in a strap have been sorted and the count verified, at which time the bills are dumped into the lower part of the compartments.

Means are provided for dumping all of the compartments simultaneously, comprising a horizontal rock shaft l5, carried in suitable bearings I 6, having fixed at one end a rocking lever H connected to the movable pole-piece 18 of a sol noid I9. A spring 20 normally holds the rock shaft in inactive position with the hinged shelves 14 all closed.

The shaft i is provided with a series of pins 2|, one for each shelf. Said pins engage in slots of levers 22 fixed to the hinge pintles of shelves 14, so that when the shaft is rocked upon energization of the solenoid I9 all of the levers 22 are depressed, dumping the contents of the upper parts of all of the compartments into the lower parts of said compartments.

Referring again to the feed rolls, the roll 8 is rotatably mounted in the downwardly extending bifurcated end of a tilting support 23 fixed to a shaft 24. Said support at its free end carries an adjusting screw 25 which operates the plunger 26, which actuates the hidden contacts of a microswitch 21 to bring them together when the plunger is pressed upwardly. Said switch is closed by the slight upward movement of the tilting support produced by the thickness of a single bill passing between the said rolls and lifting the roll 8. The micro-switch controls a number of circuits, one of which causes the actuation of a piece-counter 28 associated with the compartment to which said switch belongs, and through the piece-counter the actuation of a totalizer 29. It will be understood that there is a similar micro-switch for each compartment. The piece-counters and totalizer are of conventional form, such as is shown in the patent to Veider, 1,480,738, granted January 15, 1924.

The machine is electrically operated, being plugged into the house service lines at the point indicated at 30 in Fig. 9. Upon closing the main switch 3|, the motor l5 starts and continues running throughout the sorting operation, rotating the pairs of feed rolls '1 and 8. There are three eventualities during the sorting and counting operation in which the motor will be automatically stopped. One of these is when one hundred bills, a strap, have been registered on the totalizer 29. Upon the count of one hundred the motor will stop, indicating to the operator that a strap has been counted. After a predetermined sliglit pause the motor will start to pass the one hundredth bill from between the feed rolls into its compartment, and then again stop. This gives the operator an opportunity to check the strap just sorted. The shelves M are then dumped by pressing a switch button 32, and the motor again starts. When one hundred bills have been accumulated in any one of the various compartments the motor stops momentarily to indicate that a strap has been accumulated, and, after a slight pause, starts again. The pause operation, if desired, may be accompanied by the lighting of a signal light over the particular compartment (not shown). The operator will place a separator in the compartment to segregate the one hundred bills already counted from those to follow. The third circumstance which causes the motor to stop is when anything having a thickness greater than a single bill, for instance, two bills at once or a folded bill, are presented between the feed rolls '1 and 8. In this case the motor stops to enable the operator to remove the obstruction. The motor circuit, therefore, has four normally closed gaps in series, one of which is opened responsive to the hundred count on the totalizer 29, the second to cause the second stop of the motor incident to the hundred count on the totalizer, the third responsive to the hundred count on any of the piece-counters 28, and the fourth which is responsive to the insertion between the feed rolls of anything having a thickness greater than a single bill.

When any one of the above-mentioned eventualities are reached and the motor circuit broken, it is desirable to prevent over-running", or coasting, of the motor. A brake 33 is provided for the motor consisting of a fixed transverse bar 34 having pivotally depending pole pieces 35 and 36 on opposite sides of the armature shaft 3'5 with diametrically opposed brake shoes 38 adapted to bear frictionally upon a disk 39 on said armature shaft, normally biased away from said disk by a spring 40 and brought together by an electromagnet 4i fixed to one pole piece below said shaft and within attracting distance of the outer pole piece. Adjusting screws 42 enable the pole pieces to be so set relative to the disk as to immediately equalize the pressure on both sides of the disk when the electromagnet is energized. Whenever the motor circuit is broken, the brake circuit is immediately energized to apply the brake to bring the "motor to a standstill. Although the action of the brake is very rapid, there is purposely provided a slight lag in its operation for a purpose to be described more fully hereinafter.

By referring to the diagram shown in 9, the motor circuit can now be traced. Starting with the plus side of the line at the plug 30, current fiows through the main switch 3!, lines 43, 44, 45 and 46 to the point 41, through normally closed contacts 48, 49 of relay 50, through lines El, 52 and 53 to the point 54, and through line 55 to the movable arm of the double-bill switch 56. The current then passes through the double-bill switch contacts 51, 58, through line 59 and the normally closed contacts 60, 6! of the piece-counter hundred bill stop relay 62. Current is then carried through line 63 to the normally closed contacts 64, 65 of relay 66, which with its companion relay 61 serves as the totallzer hundred bill stop. The circuit is then completed through line 68 to the motor I 0, and from the motor through line 69 to the point 73, and then through line 'i I to the minus side of the line.

Thus it will be seen that the motor circuit may be broken by separation of the contacts 48, 49 of relay 53, by separation of the contacts 57, 53 of the double-bill switch, by separation of the contacts 62), SI of the piece-counter hundred bill stop, or by separation of contacts 64, of relay 66 of the totalizer hundred bill stop.

With the motor running, the machine is ready for the sorting and counting to begin. As bills are fed to the rolls 1 and 8 of the various compartments, the rolls are separated, actuating the respect?? mj Clo-switches 21 to energize the o the .conni s h o remit: he h er clockwise, a v ewed-im 8- The .p ec rh hnte ts are 9 h type .w make th coun a the count n arm is .m lhw rd when the arma re co a e en r ze and he counting arm must completely return t its inact ve pos tio befqr it ca c un eh h- AS .dlsc ed. innit amendin app a on ria Na 588 939 here h fq e refe re d shown herein in Fig. YZ' a-nd diagrammatically in Fig. 9, the movement of the armature 84 serves also to move aswitch arm 85 closing contacts 86, 8.1 and establishing a circuit to the totalizer. By this arrangement; the piececounters are assured of making a count before the totalizer is energized, thus eliminating any possibility of the totalizer actuating to make the count and the piece-counter failing to do so; This definitely assuresany mistake which'may be madebeing caught during thehandling of the bills of the particularstrap being counted, so that nogmore than one hundredbills can be involved in any necessary re- .count'.

When the piece-counter ,has been energized and the armature 84 and armi85 have been moved closing contacts .86, 81, the circuit'to thetotalizer is established through wires 43, 88, contacts 8], 86, wlres89, .90, totalizer coils 9,l,wires 92, 11.1, contacts 18, 19, and wire 8|,.82, 83 to the negative line "II. This will cause the totalizer armature 93' to move 'to' a position in readiness to make the count. .In the present invention, the totalizer isidentical to the piece-counters and serves as a totalizer for the reason that when any of the piece-counters operate they close 'i'th'e above-described circuit to the totalizer so that the totalizer counts once for each operation of each piece-counter. The totalizer 29 alsohas an arm connectedto its armature shaft, and the arm 94 closes contacts 95, 96 when the coils of the totalizer are energized and the armature moves between the polepleces. The closing of contacts 95,8Bjestablishes a circuit through the counter relay 80, causing the relay armature to move, breaking the circuit to the piece-counter and totalizer, thus permitting both the piece counter and totalizer to complete the count. This circuit comprises line'43, to the point 91, line 98, contacts 95, 96, line 9.9, relay coil I00,'lines 82, 83 to the negative line 1 I. ,This will energize coil I00 drawing up its armature and separating contacts [8, .19 interrupting the circuits to the piece-counter and totalize'r coils.

"The purpose ofsimulta'neously breaking these circuits immediately upon placing the piececounter andtotalizer in counting position is to take care of mechanical lag in the counter'mechanism while the bill is still between the rollslso that the counterswill always be in readiness'jtjo make a new count upon presentation of another bill. A skilled operator will feed the bills to'th e machine so rapidly that frequently there will be less thanone-quarter of an inch gap between the bills. Naturally, this would give insufficient time for the piece-counter and totalizer to return to their inoperative positions before being again ener'glzea." .One might complete its" return an the 'ctheirau" to do 56. In either event there would be ai lnis cou'ntI However, with this arrangement the' counters return to a position of rest before the billpasses from between the rolls and while the micro-switch 2] isstil l closed. The speed of the bill passing between the rolls and the speed of operation "of the piece-counter, totalizer and counter relay lsso timed that the count will be m de on .hhth mes -w nd totalizeh a d th ra hh r i eda d ah a s'dbv t tim proximately one and one .half inches of the bill h s Pass d hrqush h rh lsh s the counter arm w l rem i a re dur t e th JnaJ'Qr portion of the billis passing through the rolls. A nothenreason for simultaneously breaking these circuits is to prevent a false count due o i t hr o h for p r c s being b twe a pair of rolls fat the time the ,machine comes to rest .du 1th the ins r o o a u bill, h hundredth bill in a compartment, or the hundredthbillfor thetotalizer. The machine is so timed that the count will be completed and the counter circuits broken before theflmachine is stopped due totheabovementioned causes. As the counters operate upon separation of the rolls .002 of'an inch or more, any foreign particle having that thickness adhering'to one of the rolls would cause the" counter of that compartment to operate if the rolls stoppedw'ith the foreign partic 'al n the li e of con ct betw en the rolls. Therefore, itis'neces'sary for the relay 80 t'o'establish a holding 'c'ircuitjto prevent contacts 18; l9from reclosiii' until the'bill passes from between the rolls, because of the fact that a second count would be made on a single bill if these contacts should close while themicro-switch 21 is closed. When relay 80 is energized contact 18 closesflwith contact IOJ'. Relay 80 draws very little current in comparison to the coils of the piece-counters and, therefore, sufi'icient current tooperate'the relaylill may pass through the counter coils without actuating the counting mechanismiflflhe holding circuit takes advantage of thistfact. ;,The\holding"circui1; comprises line .43 tothe point T2,.line'13to micro-switch 21; line .IAto' piece counter coils15, lines .16, 11, contacts ":18, |.lll,.1ine' 1.02, relay coil I90, lines 82, 83 to negativelinell. Such ari'arrangement definitely assures the count being completed before the billp'asses from'ibetween the rolls; thus eliminating the possibility of the piece-counter coilsibelng re-en'e'rgizd before the count is completedt. I

As mentioned .hereinbefore, when one hundred bills have been registered on a piece-counter the motorstop's." Thi'spause in operation is only momentar'y to serve'to' indicate to the operator that onehundred bills; 'ora strap, have been accumulated in "one of the "compartments. If a signal ligh'tis used the coinpartmentwill be immediately indicated. Ifnot; a "glance'at thepiece counter figures'will showjthe compartment in question'by the indicationJffOO.

.Itm'ust be borne in mind during the following description that "th' huri'dredth bill passing between theffeed rollsoauses the action which takes place, and that 'thebre'aking of the motor'circuit Willbe simultaneous with theclosing' 'of the brake c'ircuitytherebystopping theinachine with the hundredth bill between the rolls ,The piece-counters employed in the present invention have two counter wheels, a units wheel and 1a ,t'ens'w hleel; each bearing the figures T90" 7 through 9. The tens wheel I03 is provided with a small cam I 04 on its periphery located between the numerals 9 and 0, as shown in Fig. 7. This cam serves to raise a plunger I05 to close contacts I06, I 01 as the piece-counter changes its count from 99 to 00.

When the hundredth bill is placed between the feed rolls of a compartment, the piece-counter and totalizer will be energized, the counter relay 80 will be energized, breaking the circuits to the piece-counter and totalizer to permit them to complete the count, and the holding circuit through the relay 80 established. With the circuits set up in this manner, the piece-counter tens wheel in turning from 9 to will raise I and close contacts I06, I01. This completes a circuit through wire 43 to point I08, wire I09, contacts I01, I06, wires IIO, III, II2 to piece-counter one hundred bill stop relay coil II3, wire II4, to point H5, wires H6, H1, H8, H9, I20, I2I to negative line H. The energization of coil II3 draws up the relay armature separating contacts 60, 6| to stop the motor, and closes contacts I22, I23 and I24, I25. Relay 62 is of the latch type, and when the armature is drawn up latch I26, under the influence of a spring, drops in place behind the armature to hold the armature in raised position. The closing of piece-counter contacts I06, I01 is only momentary but latch I26 maintains the relay armature in position after the relay coil circuit is broken.

Closing contacts I22, I23 completes a circuit to the motor brake 33 to instantly stop the motor. This circuit follows lines 43, 44, 45, 46 to point 41, contacts 48, 49, lines 5|, 52, 53, contacts I22, I23, lines I21, I28, I29 to the point I30, lines I3I, I32, I33 to the brake actuating coil 4 I, line I34 to point and negative line H.

Relay 62 has a time delay element operating on a thermostatic principle which automatically makes a circuit to withdraw latch I26 to permit the relay armature to drop down, breaking the brake circuit and remaking the motor circuit after a predetermined time interval. The time delay element comprises a spring steel switch arm I35 near the top of which is connected a thermostatic conductor loop I36 which functions as a bridle to tension the switch arm I35 and hold the switch arm out of contact with its companion contact I31. The switch arm carries an adjustable contact point I38. When current flows through the loop I36 the loop becomes heated and expands lengthwise, permitting the switch arm I35 to bend closing the contacts I31, I38. The adjustability of contact I38 permits variation in the time required to close the contacts I31, I38.

As has been described, closing of the circuit through coil II3 of relay 63 separates contacts 60, 6I, breaking the motor circuit, closes contacts I22, I23 making the brake circuit, and also closes contacts I24, I25. The closing of these last-mentioned contacts completes a circuit through wires 43, 44 to point I39, wire I40, contacts I25, I24, wires I4I, I42, thermostatic loop I36, wires I43, H6, H1, H8, H9, I20, I2I, to negative wire II. This will cause the loop I36 to heat and expand, as described, closing contacts I31, I38. There will then be set up a circuit through wires 43, 44 to point I36, wire I40, contacts I25, I24, wire I4I, switch arm I35, contacts I38, I31, wire I44, latch coil I45, wires I46, II4, II6, H1, H8, H9, I20, I2I to negative wire 1 I. Establishing this circuit will energize coil I45 drawing the latch I28 from locking position with respect to the relay 62 armature, permitting the armature to drop, separating contacts I22, I23 de-energizing the brake, separating contacts I24, I25 de-energizing the latch coil and the thermostatic loop I36 whereupon the loop will cool and shrink separating contacts I31, I38, and closing contacts 60, 6I, re-establishing the motor circuit.

Thus it will be seen that upon entry of the one hundredth bill to a compartment the motor will stop momentarily with the bill between the rolls and then automatically restart shooting the bill into the compartment. The pause will give the operator sufficient time to pick up a separator which will be deposited upon the one hundredth bill when it comes to rest in the compartment. As the motor is again running the sorting ma be continued.

When the hundredth bill is registered upon the totalizer the cycle of operation is diiferent. The motor stops and the brakes are applied as before, but after the slight pause in operation the motor is started to run only long enough to pass the hundredth bill into its compartment whereupon the motor is again stopped and the brake applied. When the totals have been checked by the operator, the push-button 32 is pressed, dropping the shelves I4 to dump the bills into the lower part of the compartments. The dumping of the shelves resets various relays and restarts the motor. It will also be noted from the following description that the shelves I4 cannot be dumped except at such time as the totalizer registers one hundred bills, and that the flaps must be dumped at this time before further sorting can be done. With the old type machine as shown in the patent and application referred to, it was possible, and the operators sometimes proceeded, to dump the flaps before the totalizer was checked. This often resulted in the tremendous undertaking of recounting one-half days work or more, as all of the bills in the lower compartment would have to be recounted in order to locate a mistake. With the present lay-out, only when the totalizer reaches one hundred will the circuits be so set that the closing of switch 32 will complete a circuit to the shelf-dumping solenoid.

Totalizer 29 has two cams upon the periphery of its tens wheel I41, one I48 between 9 and 0, and the other I49, between "4 and 5. The cam I48 serves to close contacts I50, I5I as the one hundredth bill passes between the feed rolls, and the cam I49 when the fiftieth bill is between the rolls, as will be explained.

As the fiftieth bill passes between the rolls and the totalizer tens wheel moves from 4 to 5, the cam I49 will close contacts I50, I5I, completing a circuit through wire 43 to point I52, wire I53, contacts I5I, I50, wires I54, I55, I56, latch coil I51 of relay 51, wires I58, II9, I 20, |2I to negative Wire 1I. This circuit will be closed only momentarily energizing latch coil I51, to draw up latch I59 to permit the relay armature to fall closing contacts I60, I6I setting up a circuit to the latch coil I62 of relay G6 to be closed when cam I48 of the totalizer tens wheel closes contacts I50, I5I,

As the hundredth bill passes between the feed rolls cam I48 closes contacts I50, I5I completing the following circuit: wire 43 to point I52, wire I53, contacts I5I, I50, wires I54, I55, I56 to point I61, wire I53, contacts IEI, I60, wires I54, I65, latch coil I62, wires I65, II9, I20, I2I to negative line II. 'This circuit also receives only a momentary impulse sufiicient to energize the latch coil and withdraw the latch permitting the armature of relay 66 to drop, separating 9 contacts 64, 65 and interrupting the motor cir cuit. At the same time contacts I68, I69 are closed, setting up a circuit to the brake through wires 43', 44, 45, 46 to the point 41, contacts 48, 49, wires I18, contacts I68, I69, Wire IN to point I38, wires I3I, I32, I33, brake coil 4|, wire I34 to point 18 and negative Wire II.

As previously explained, the period of inactlvity of the motor is a short, timed interval. To accomplish this, when contact 64 of relay 66 leaves contact 65 it closes with contact; I12. This establishes a circuit through wires 43, 44, 45, 46 to point 41, contacts 48, 4'9, Wires 5|, 52, 53 to point 54, wire 55, double-bill relay contacts 51, 58, wire 59, piece-counter one hundred bill stop relay contacts 68, 6|, wire 63, contacts 64, I12, wires I13, I14, contacts I15, I16 of timedelay relay 58, wire I11, thermostatic loop I18, Wires I19, I88 to contacts I8I, I82 of the counter relay 88 (which is energized through the holding circuit described as the hundredth bill is held between the feed rolls), and wires I83, 83 to negative line 1|.

Current passing through loop I18 will cause it to expand allowing switch arm I84 to move closing contacts I85, I86. When this occurs, the following circuit is completed: Wires 43, 44, 45, 46 to point 41, contacts 48, 49, wires 5|, 52, 53 to point 54, wire 55, contacts 51, 58; Wire 59, contacts 68, 6|, wire 63, contacts 64, I12, wires I13, I14 to point I81, switch arm I84, contacts I85, I86, wire I88 to point I89, relay coil I98, wires I9I, I88, contacts I8-|, I82, and wires I83,- 83 to negative line 11. Completion of this circuit will energize the relay coil I90, drawing up the relay armature, thus interrupting the brake circuit by separating contacts 48, 49, establishing a relay holding circuit by closing contacts 48, I92, re-establishing the motor circuit by closing contacts I93, I94, and breaking the circuit through the thermostatic loop and switch arm I84 by separating contacts 115, I16.

The relay holding circuit just referred to comprises wires. 43, 44, 4'5, 46 to point 41, contacts 48, I92, wire I95 to point-l8 9, relay coil I98, wires I'9I, I88, contacts 'I'8I, I82, and wires I83, 83 to negative line 1|. This circuit will maintain the armature lifted untilthe motor has passed the hundredth bill frombetw'een the rolls.

The new motor circuit is established through wires 43, 44, 45, 46, contacts I93, I94, wires I96, 68, through the motor,- wire 69 to point 18' and the negative wire 1|. When the motor starts the feed rolls begin to'revolve and the hundredth bill is moved from between the rolls into its compartment. As soon as this occurs the microswit'ch 21 opens, breaking the holding circuit to the counter relay 88, permitting the relay armag ture to fall. The contacts I8I, I82 will separate, breaking the holding circuit to the relay 58 and the armature of this relay will fall separating contacts I98, I 94, breaking the motor circuit. At the same-time the closing of contacts 48, 49 will reestablish the break circuit previously described. I

' At this stage of the operation, the operator will check the results of the count and, if correct, dump the shelves I4 to drop the bills into the bottom of the compartments. When the operator presses the button 32 to dump the shelves th following circuit is set up: wires 43,

44,45,46 to point 41,-contacts 48, 49, wires 5|, 52, 53 'to point 54, wire 55, contacts 51, 58, wire 59,'contacts68,'6 I wire 63,contacts"64, I12, wires I13, I91, switch 32, soienoid -'I9, wires I98, I28,

10 HI to negative wire 1| 'I-heenergization of the solenoid I9 will rock lever I1 as described dumping the shelves.

Lever I1 carries a contact I99 which closes with contact 288 When'the lever is in shelf-dumpin'g position, to establish a circuit to reset relays 66 and 61, and reestablish the original motor circuit. This circuit comprises wire 43 to point 289, wire 28I, contacts 288, I99, wire 282, the branch wires 283, 204 to the relay coils 285, 286 irorn the coils through wires 2 81, 288 to wire H 9, then through I28, I2I to 1|. The energization of the two coils 285, 286, cause them to draw up their respectiv armatures whereupon the latches under the influences of thelrsprings latch the armatures in raised position. This resets the entire circuit into its original condition and a fresh strap of bills can be opened and sorted.

As stated he'reinbefore, twenty-dollar bills are sometimes forwarded in straps of fiftyl It is desirable in such instances to'have the machine stop when fifty bills have been registered on the totaliz'er. To make this possible the two relays 66, 61 are connected into the circuit in parallel aswell as in series, with a normally openswitch in the parallel connection to the relay 66. By this means the two relays will function simultaneously, if desired, by closing the switch, rather than sequentially as when hundred bill straps are being sorted. This is accomplished by connecting a bridging wire 2I 8 to the lines I56 and I65, with a switch 2II in the line. By closing switch 2 the two relays Will function together when either the cam I48 or cam I49 closes contacts I58, I5I. As the normal function of relay 61 is to prepare the circuit for relay 66, the relay 61 does no work when the switch 2| I is closed, even though it cone tinues to operate.

In the earlier patents and pending application previously mentioned, the machine was equipped with means to stop the motor and apply the brake if more than a single bill attempted to pass through the feed rolls simultaneously. The present double bill mechanism is considerably simplified over that formerly used, and so arranged in the circuit that if a double bill should also be the hundredth bill in a compartment the machine will stop as usual for a hundredth bill, but the machine will not restart after a brief pause and the operator will know that a double bill is between the rolls and must be withdrawn by hand.

The bifurcated arm 23 carries a pin 2I2 Which strikes alever 2'I3 mounted upon a shaft 2I4 when the arm 23fis lifted more than that caused by thep'assage of a single bill through the rolls. adjusting screw 2 I 5 is carried by the lever 2 I3 sothat the free movement of arm 23 before moving lever 2I8 maybe varied. At one end of the machine, shaft 214 carries a two-piece lever 56 composed of 'arms'2l6 and 2H pivoted together at 218 and yielding-1y held to operate as a single lever by means of sprin 2I9. Contact 51 is carried at the end of the lever and is normally closed with contact 58. When the lever is rocked Conf' tact 51 breaks with 58 and makes Contact with 222. It has already beenshownthat contacts 51, '58 :form-part of the normal motor circuit, and it is evident,- therefore, that when the lever'56'is lifted the motor circuit is broken. The closing or contacts '56, 222 -establishesa circuit to the brake, through wires 43, 4.4, 45*, 46 to'p'oint 41,

contacts 48, 9, wires "5 I, 52, 53'to1 point 5"4, wire 55, contacts 51, 222, wires 223, I28, I29 'to'point 11 lEil, wires 23!, 32, I33, brake coil 4|, wire I34 to point Be and negative wire 1 I.

In Fig. 10, a slightly modified type of timing device is shown associated With relay B and piece-counter hundred bill stop relay 62. With the heating element shown in Fig. 9, room temperature will cause variation in the timed pause incident to the operation of relays 50 and 62. While this may not be serious, it is not conducive to the machine being operated at its highest efficiency at all times. If an exact timed interval is desired, the timer shown diagrammatically in Fig. may be used. This is the well-known motor-operated timer Which closes a circuit when the motor has run a predetermined period. In its simplest diagrammatical form the timer for relay 59 is shown to comprise a motor 224 and a movable hand 225 operated by the motor and carrying a contact I85 to close with contact I86 when the motor has run a predetermined period. The motor is connected in the circuit in exactly the same manner as the heating element I78 shown in Fig. 9. In other words, the motor has its binding posts connected to wires I'll and I19. Contact I35 takes the place of contact I85 carried by the arm I84 in the previously described form, and contact [86' is the same as contact I86 of the first form. The timer in relay 62 comprises a motor 226 connected to wires M2 and M3, and a movable arm 22'! carrying a contact i3 to close with contact 131. The balance of the circuits shown in Fig. 10 are identical to those shown in Fig. 9 and operate in the same manner.

In the foregoing, the entire operation of the machine has been given in connection with the various mechanisms and circuits which carry it out, but it is thought that a restatement of the operation will set it out more clearly. As stated before, closing switch 3| will start the motor to revolve the feed rolls 7 and 8. The operator standing before the machine will break the band on a strap of bills and begin feeding the bills to the rolls, sorting the bills as to bank of issue, or other desired separation, each bill being fed to the rolls of the compartment allotted to the bank of issue .of that bill. Should two bills inadvertently be fed to the rolls simultaneously the machine will stop. The operator seeing that none of the counters register one hundred will know the cause of stoppage and Withdraw the bills from the rolls. One bill will be placed in the compartment, for the counter and totalizer will have operated, and the remaining bills fed to the rolls in the usual manner.

When one hundred bills have accumulated in any one compartment, the machine will stop with the hundredth bill between the feed rolls. The operator will see than one hundred bills have been registered on the counter of that compartment and will pick up a separator to place in the compartment. By this time the machine will have automatically started and passed the hundredth bill into the compartment. The separator is then placed upon the pile of bills and the sorting continues.

When the totalizer reaches one hundred or 00, for the count is repetitive, the machine pauses in its operation with the hundredth bill between the rolls. Usually the operator will have fed the last of the bills in the strap into the machine, but if the operator has bills remaining in his hand there has been a miscount or more than one hundred bills were in the strap. In either event the operator will have a check on the bills sorted. After a, very slight pause, the machine starts up to pass the hundredth bill into the compartment and again stops. After the check has been made the operator presses button 32 dropping the shelves M to dump the bills into the lower portion of the cabinet. Pressing button 32 sets into motion a number of operations which, after dumping the bills, resets the various circuits and restarts the motor for further sorting.

While I have in the above described what is believed to be a preferred and practical embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that this is by way of example only, and that various changes may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money, a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means associated with each compartment, 3, piece-counter associated with each compartment, an electrical operating circuit for each piece-counter including a switch operable upon the separation of said bill-feeding means, a totalizer, an operating circuit for said totalizer including circuit-closers associated with and operable by said piece-counters upon actuation of the said counters, a circuit-controlling relay, an operating circuit for said relay including a circuit-closer associated with and operable by said totalizer upon actuation of said totalizer, said relay having normally closed contacts separable upon energization of the relay and forming part of said piece-counter and said totalizer operating circuits, whereby said piece-counter, said totalizer and said relay circuits are energized sequentially upon insertion of a bill into said bill-feeding means and said piece-counter and said totalizer circuits are broken simultaneously upon actuation of said relay.

2. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 1, said circuit-controlling relay having normally open contacts, closed upon energization of said relay, forming part of a holding circuit for said relay, said holding circuit including the switch operable by said billfeeding means, whereby said relay will remain energized and said piece-counter and said totalizer circuits will remain broken while a bill remains between the said bill-feeding means.

3. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, bill-feeding means associated with each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, a piece-counter for each compartment operable upon insertion of a bill into said bill-feeding means, in combination; means associated with said piece-counter operable upon said counter reaching a predetermined count to stop said motor, a timing element in circuit with said motor-stopping means energized upon actuation of said motor-stopping means, a release switch controlled by said timing element, said switch being in circuit with said motor-stopping mean to release said motor-stopping means to restart said motor after a predetermined interval.

4. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, bill-feeding means associated with each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, a totalizing-counter common to all compartments operable upon a bill being inserted into any of said bill-feeding means, in combination; means associated with said totalizingcounter to stop said motor upon said counter reaching a predetermined count, a timing eleai'cai sc 13* ment in circuit with saidf-motor-stopping means energized upon actuation of said motor-stopping means, a circuit-closer controlled by said timing element, and means to restart said'motor including said circuit-closer as apart-thereof.

5. In a-machine for-sortingand counting-paper money as claimed in claim-4, holding-means to retain said m-otor-restarting'm'eans in motor-operating position, said holding means releasable upon the bill causing said predetermined count disengaging said bill-feeding meansr 6. In a machine for sorting and counting'paper' money as claimed in claim l, holding meansto retaln'said motor-restarting'me'ans in motor-operating* position, said holding means releasable upon the bill causing said predetermined count disengaging said bill-feeding means, tiltable money-supporting" shelves in each of saidcompartments, shelf-dumping means in circuit with said motor-stopping means when said motorstopping means isi'n motor-stopping position; and a man'ually operableswitch to close said'sh'elfdumping circuit.

7; In a machine for sortingand counting paper money as claimed in claim 4, holding means to retain said motor-restarting means in motoroperating position, said holding means releasable upon the bill causing saidpredetermined count disengaging said bill-feeding means, tiltable money-supporting shelves in each of said com partments, shelf-dumping meansin circuit with said motor-stopping means when said motorstopping means is inmotor-stopping position, and a manually operable switch to close said shelfdumping circuit, said shelf-dumping means including a circuit closer, a resetting circuit for said motor-stopping means including shelf -dumping circuit-closer, whereby said motor-stopping means will be reset upon' actuation of the shelfdumping means.

8. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means associated with each compartment, a motor to operate said bill-feeding means, a piece-counter associated with each compartment, a totalizingcounter common to all compartments, a counter circuit controlling relay, operating circuits for all of said counters, an operating circuit for said relay, said relay and piece-counter circuits includin a switch operable upon the separation of said bill-feeding means by the insertion of a bill, and a holding circuit for said relay including the said switch in combination; normally open contacts on said relay closed during energization of said holding circuit, a circuit closer associated with and operable by said totalizing-counter upon reachirn a predetermined count, a latch relay havine normally closed contacts forming part of a circuit to the said motor, a circuit including said circuit-closer and the latch coil of said latch relay, whereby the latch will be withdrawn and the motor contacts separated to stop the motor upon reaching a predetermined count on said totalizing counter.

9. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 8, normally open contacts on said latch relay, a delayed-action relay including a timing element, a circuit including said latch relay normally open contacts and said timing element, a circuit-closer controlled by said timing element and comprising part of a circuit including the delayed-action relay coil, whereby said coil will become energized after a predetermined time interval, and normally open contacts carried by said delayed-action relay iiicluded in a circuit to said motor; saidcontacts being closed when said delayed-actionrelay' coil isene'r'giZed to restart the motor;

10. In a machine for sorting and countingpaper money as claimed in claim'S, normally open contacts on said latch relay, a delayedaction relay including-a timing element, circuit including said latch'relay normally open contacts andsaid timing element, a circuit-closer con trolledb'y said timingelement andcomprisin'g' part of a circ'uit'including the delayed-action reiay'coil, whereby said coil will become energizedafter a predetermined time interval, and nor mally open contacts carried by said delayedaction'relay includedin a circuit tosaid motor,

contacts'being'close'd when saiddelay eda'ctionr'elay coilisenergized to restart the motor, a holding circuit for said delayed-action relay coil including the normally open contacts of said" counter circuit controlling relay, whereby-the" said holding circuit for the'delaye'd-action'relay coil will be broken when the" bill "engaging the bill-feeding means'has passedfrom the bill-feeding means.-

said bill-feeding: means in combination; a cirouit closer associated with and operable by each of said piece-counters"upon said counters-ream ing a predetermined count, a delayed-action latch relay comprising a coil, an armature, a latch to hold said armature in one position, a latch coil to withdraw said latch, and a timing element, said relay having normally closed and normally open contacts, a circuit to said relay coil including said circuit closer, a circuit to said motor including said normally closed contacts of said relay, Whereby said motor circuit will be broken when one of said counters reaches a predetermined count, a circuit including said normally open contacts, and said timing element, a circuit closer controlled by said timing element, a circuit including said timing element controlled circuit closer, said normally open contacts and said latch coil, whereby the said latch will be withdrawn and the motor circuit reestablished after a predetermined interval.

12. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means for each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, a brake for said motor, and a piece-counter associated with each compartment operable upon separation of said bill-feeding means, in combination, double-bill detecting means comprising a movable switch arm, a pair of spaced contacts, one of said contacts being normally closed with said switch arm and forming part of a circuit to said motor, the other of said contacts being normally open with said switch arm and forming part of a circuit to said brake, and means to rock said switch arm upon the separation of said feed means beyond a predetermined amount.

13. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 12, said switch arm comprising two pivoted members yieldingly held in alignment,

14. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means for each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, and a totalizing-counter common to all compartments operable responsive to separation of said bill-feeding means, in combination; tiltable bill-supporting shelves in each of said compartments, means to dump said shelves, a solenoid to operate said shelf-dumping means, a circuit for said solenoid having at least two normally open switches, means associated with said totalizing counter and operable by said counter when said counter reaches a predetermined count to close one of said switches, the other of said switches being closed manually.

15. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 14, said means associated with said totalizing-counter operable to stop said motor, means to restart said motor, and a circuit closer operable by said shelf -dumping means in circuit with said motor restarting means.

16. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means for each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, a totalizing-counter common to all compartments operable responsive to separation of said bill-feeding means, in combination; a circuit for said motor including normally closed contacts, means to open said contacts, a circuit to said contact-opening means having at least two open switches, means to close one of said switches upon the said totalizing-counter reaching a predetermined count, and means to close the other of said switches upon said totalizing-counter reaching a second predetermined count.

17. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 16, a bridge-wire across one of said switches, a manually operable switch in said bridge-Wire whereby the circuit to said motor-circuit contact-opening means may be closed when said totalizing-counter reaches each of its predetermined counts.

18. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money having a plurality of bill-receiving compartments, separable bill-feeding means for each compartment, a motor to operate said billfeeding means, a totalizing-counter common to all compartments operable responsive to separation of said bill-feeding means in combination; a pair of latch relays, the armatures of both of said relays being normally lifted in latched position, the armature of one of said relays having normally closed contacts in circuit with said motor, the armature of the other said relay having normally open contacts in circuit with the latch coil of said first named relay, a circuit closer associated with said totalizing-counter and operable by said counter upon said counter reaching a predetermined count in circuit with said second-mentioned relay latch coil and said normally open contact of said second-mentioned relay.

19. In a machine for sorting and counting paper money as claimed in claim 18, a bridge wire across the normally open contacts of said secondmentioned relay, and a normally operable switch in said bridge wire.

THOMAS E. HAYES. 

